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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24047461">Secrets in the Dark</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/angrybirdcr/pseuds/angrybirdcr'>angrybirdcr</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Marvel, Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Bucky Barnes &amp; Steve Rogers Friendship, Bucky Barnes &amp; Tony Stark Friendship, F/M, Implied/Referenced Torture, Major Character Injury, Minor Bruce Banner/Natasha Romanov, Minor Bucky Barnes/Natasha Romanov, Minor Bucky Barnes/Steve Rogers, Minor Bucky Barnes/Tony Stark, Minor Injuries, Minor Pepper Potts/Tony Stark, Minor Steve Rogers/Natasha Romanov, Minor Violence</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-05-07</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-05-07</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-02 16:54:58</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Not Rated</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>7,228</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24047461</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/angrybirdcr/pseuds/angrybirdcr</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>There isn’t a thing such as a happily ever after, is it? For Bucky Barnes it all seemed to be going the best that it ever has alongside his long time girlfriend but One word changed it all. She had One secret that threatened to bring down everything that they worked so hard for…</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Bucky Barnes &amp; OFC, Bucky Barnes/OFC, James "Bucky" Barnes &amp; Original Female Character, James "Bucky" Barnes/Original Female Character(s), bucky barnes/original female character</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>6</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Secrets in the Dark</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Thank You for checking this up! Once again I’m happy to have been able to complete another writing challenge. On this case, Tumblr´s #star’s celebration challenge, of the amazing @star-spangled-man-with-a-plan . I hope you guys enjoy it! </p><p>Prompt: MORITURO= Someone who’s next or destined to die</p><p>Pairing: Bucky Barnes x OFC Kayleigh Shaw</p><p>**DISCLAIMER: I don’t own any rights on Bucky Barnes/The Winter Soldier or any other Marvel character, this is for entertainment purposes only. I only own the rights to my own original characters (OFC).**</p><p>** Please DO NOT post any of my works on any other platform or site without my express written consent. Feel free to like and/or to comment. Thank You!**</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Nothing weighs on us so heavily as a secret” ~Jean de La Fontaine ~</p><p>“I thought that you wouldn’t come” He smirked </p><p>“I didn’t have a choice...brother” She said with evident bitterness on her voice as she took a seat next to him “Why are you here?” She asked him</p><p>“You know the answer, sis. I believe that you rather have me warning you than someone else” He sighed watching her uncomfortably shift on her seat</p><p>“I really wish that this time would never come… How far are they?” </p><p>“They’re coming. There’s no stopping it and you know it. I’ve done my best to keep them off your back but I won’t be able to hold them off for much longer. So, I’ll make this short… Be ready.” His cold stare baring the seriousness of his warning</p><p>“I don’t want this… I never asked for this…James can’t find out about this!” Her voice wavered, his eyes softening at her distress “I hate that we must be apart, please whatever you do be safe” She reached for his hand, he sweetly rubbed his thumb over giving her a warm smile</p><p>“I’ll do my best, I promise” She quickly wiped  a stray tear before taking her leave, one last look in his direction and she was out. </p><p>***</p><p>Kayleigh Anne Shaw, the sweet, sassy and energy fireball florist that melted The Winter Soldier’s heart. Even after so many months together, they still loved to tell the story how they actually fell in love when he walked into her store to buy flowers for his blind date, that’s right Bucky Barnes himself did just that. And Tony never lost the chance to tease them how he was the one to have set him up in the first place. Yet, they had come to the agreement of one calculated risk, to live together.</p><p>She slowly opened and closed the door, trying not to make a sound, but blessed be the soldier’s enhanced super hearing</p><p>“You know you look really cute doing that…” She jumped and squealed at the sudden hands around her waist. “Buckyyy!”</p><p> “Hmmm… you have no idea how much I love it when you scream my name like that…” He chuckled as she blushed “I’m sorry doll I didn’t mean to scare you” He said holding her close nuzzling her neck and leaving feathered kisses, sending shivers down her spine</p><p>“What are you doing up so early?” She asked him avoiding his lustful stare “Why were you out?” He teased her back. She stiffened, lying was not an option since he could read her like an open book…</p><p>“I couldn’t sleep well last night, so I went for a walk to clear up my mind” It was the truth. Yesterday she received a text from her brother, one she was hoping not to read in a long time, not right now… She spent a sleepless night, but couldn’t worry him about it. So she did was she knew best, she hugged him tight and kissed him breathless, he happily obliged completely in oblivion of the dark clouds ahead…</p><p>He pulled back in need for air, resting his forehead on hers. “You remember we got dinner today”</p><p>“To share the table with Earth’s mightiest heroes!? How could I ever forget such privilege? Besides, I’m on charge of bringing the dessert tonight” </p><p>“Mmm… I love the sound of that…” He said letting a small moan out</p><p>“Do you…?” She laughed as he lift her kissing her senseless…</p><p>***</p><p>“Dinner at Stark’s” such a meaningful statement! There’s nothing like spending the night at Tony Stark’s home, eccentric, flashy but overall homey. Who would have guessed a group of dysfunctional heroes would become a family? But they did. </p><p>“So, how’s our sweetheart treating you Barnes?” Tony teased him</p><p>“You know she’s an angel… my angel…” He smirked discreetly caressing her tight below the table making her face slightly flushed</p><p>“Who would have guessed that The Winter Soldier was such a sappy guy?” Natasha chimed in causing them all to join in the laughter</p><p>“Not to mention she’s an amazing cook! She made the pie you’re eating right now!” Pepper added taking a mouthful of the sweet treat</p><p>“Did she…? Huh… doesn’t she sound like the perfect wife material?” Tony casually said making Kayleigh’s cheeks go bright red as Bucky choked down on his water</p><p>“Hey pal… you ok?” Steve patted him on his back helping to keep his coughing fit under control “Well, I never thought I’d say this but you do know Stark is right…” He said making his eyes go wide as saucers </p><p>“Sorry, Did he just agree with me or am I starting to hear things?” Tony said using hand gestures and arching an eyebrow</p><p>“Nah… he totally did…” Clint said</p><p>“Not to want to be left out of this but in all seriousness Barnes, we’re all glad that things are finally going well for you” Banner said watching curious as everyone’s eyes locked with his “What? What did I say?”</p><p>“Seriously?” Natasha said sending a death glare his way</p><p>“I just jinx it, didn’t I?” He sighed just in time as J.A.R.V.I.S’ voice rang through</p><p>“Sorry to interrupt Mr.Stark but we have an urgent situation”</p><p>“You had to say it…” Steve glared at Banner and he hung his head down.</p><p>“Hey! Totally not his fault.” She tried to make him feel better, in vain…</p><p>“Time to work kids!” Tony said leading them down to their SMART Table</p><p>***</p><p>She never got inside their briefings, not that they had ever told her off yet she knew her place. She didn’t want to step over her self imposed invisible boundaries. She didn’t want to partake on their heroic world, she simply couldn’t risk ‘em….But today it all changed.</p><p>She slowly approached the room, she could already faintly hear what they were saying, carefully looking through the glass doors only to lock her eyes straight into her worst nightmares. The gore images of dead men and women with the mark of hell ingrained on them, threatening to unveil the secret that she vowed to forget. She trembled in fear. She covered her gasp with her hand, trying to control her shaking. She breathed in. She hesitantly put her hand on the door handle as a raging storm of dreadful thoughts battled against each other. What was it going to be?  To let go that way turning her back to her past? Or to get in and risk it all? It had to be done, it was her choice…</p><p>“…So, this is somehow connected to H.Y.D.R.A. But how so?”</p><p>“Maybe we have the key in front of us” An unknown black and red mark tattooed on the victims’ arms… Tony worked his magic zooming in and clearing up the image until they saw it… A flower…</p><p>“What kind of flower is that?” Steve asked</p><p>“Chrysanthemum… The flower of death” Kayleigh replied before Tony even had the chance to command JARVIS to look it up for them “In some countries of Europe incurve chrysanthemums symbolize death and are used only for funerals or on graves, and are also considered a symbol of immortality, as it can survive through the winter frost and needs little care.” She effortlessly said letting out a breath she didn’t know she was holding, with all eyes on her “Sorry to interrupt your hero-ing”</p><p>“Right… the florist is in the house…” Clint humorously said with a smile</p><p>“Kay? What are you doing here?” Bucky asked her tenderly rubbing her arms “Are you ok?” Clear worry on his voice while her eyes remained glued to the screen</p><p>“You were not supposed to be here” Natasha carefully said “You’re not used to these” She pointed to the files as Tony quickly reacted swiftly motioning his hands putting them away.. ‘If only you knew’, she thought</p><p>“No… it’s ok. I’m sorry I barged in. I was a bit restless.” She shuddered, softly clearing her throat to mask her gulping “I’m ok, don’t worry” </p><p>“Sorry, Kay-Bear” She couldn’t stop the half smile that found its way when hearing the unique nickname only Tony Stark himself could come with</p><p>“I know this is not my field, but who are they?” She asked them welcoming the warmth from Bucky’s comforting rubbing on her lower back</p><p>They looked at each other unsure of what to tell her or not. Until Steve spoke for all</p><p>“I don’t want to come across as rude but I don’t think that it’s a good idea, this seems to be something that must be dealt with immediately” </p><p>“Steve!” Bucky warned him with a stern look. Oblivious to her wandering eyes settling on the names still displayed on the screen, one name in particular made her miss a beat: ‘Mila Lenkov’… </p><p>*** *** ***</p><p>The dark Skies opened letting the heavy rainfall pour down on them</p><p>“RUUUNN!” The blonde blue eyed girl yelled</p><p>“NO! I’m not leaving you Mila!” She cried holding her hand</p><p>“We’re both leaving this hell hole but we must go our own ways” </p><p>“We can stay together! We can keep you safe!” She begged her</p><p>“You still don’t get it, do you? There’s no hiding from them. They WILL find us, we’re just buying ourselves some spare time” Mila said with unwavering certainty but with the calm proper of an elderly sister. Kayleigh understood her words, they knew they were simply breaking the loop not their fates. She nodded letting go of her as she ran right into the open arms of her brother, right outside the other side of the fence towards their liberty. Mila kept going her own way towards the forest she had once called her pathway to home.</p><p>*** *** ***</p><p>Kayleigh lost her balance at the memory, immediately leaning back onto Bucky’s strong arms.</p><p>“Hey! Hey! What’s wrong doll?” Worried Bucky asked her softly stroking her cheek</p><p>“It must be the initial shock wearing off, that’s it” She smiled</p><p>“Why don’t you accompany her out pal? Make sure she’s fine then come back. In the meantime, We’re gonna stay here double checking some facts.” Tony stated as they nodded leaving the room.</p><p>She went ahead of him holding her chest, heavily breathing and softly crying. Her friend, her past, her love, her unavoidable fate… It all weighed too much on her. She curled up on the couch. Bucky couldn’t but silently watch her while embracing her as lovingly as possible. What did just happen? He continuously asked himself, but he didn’t dare to ask aloud. He met her shiny eyes as she bit her lower lip, the words refusing to be let out. He got lost into the brown eyes he had come to love, he kissed her forehead as she rested her head on his chest until her tears receded.  He stroked her hair as she finally broke the silence</p><p>“I’m sorry...I know I made a scene back there. It wasn’t my intention” Her voice slightly above a whisper</p><p>“No, there’s nothing to apologize about. Like Nat said, it’s not something that you see everyday and I don’t expect you to it either” His voice soothing her like a lullaby </p><p>“I know there are things about your past that you’re not ready to tell me yet. But looking at those pictures back there…” Her voice faltered “Would you ever forgive me if there was something that I haven’t told you about me?” She looked intently at him, the fear of rejection crawling underneath her skin</p><p>“What secret could you possibly have for there to be a need for me to forgive you?” He raised an eyebrow at the implication, unleashing some doubts on him</p><p>“We all have our secrets soldier. I just hope that you never forget how much I love you” She said hugging him tight </p><p>“I could never do such thing… besides nothing could ever compare to what I did on my past… I love you too much” He kissed her breathless </p><p>*** *** ***</p><p>He didn’t know what to think about what happened there, why was she so upset? Why did it affected her so much? What secret was she talking about? His troubling thoughts came to a halt as he approached the door, not liking what he heard. Natasha and his best friend Steve talking about Kay’s reactions at the tower and questioning her odd behavior on previous occasions that he initially choose to ignore. </p><p>“What are you talking about Nat?” Steve narrowed his eyebrows at the suggestion</p><p>“All I’m saying is that we don’t know much about her, except for what she has told us and him. Yes, she looks like a nice girl but we’ve all looked up close how deceiving looks can be” </p><p>“I really hope that you’re not implying that she’s somehow involved with this based on the mere fact that she reacted distressed over some freaking pictures of dead mutilated bodies” Tony jumped to her defense, completely hating the idea of someone of their own possibly working with the enemy, it just can’t be</p><p>He had heard enough. He could be tortured by HYDRA all they wanted for all he cared but he wouldn’t stand them tainting the reputation of the only person that has always been there for him. Not wasting another second, he barged in</p><p>Oh rain fire…</p><p>“What the hell are y’all about?” If looks could kill, there wouldn’t be any avengers</p><p>“Hey pal, take it easy. Is not what it looks like” </p><p>“Really Steve? Of all people, you? I leave to console my clearly affected girlfriend just to come back to hear you trashing her?” His blazing anger could be felt in every corner of the room</p><p>“I’m sorry James. It’s on me, all we said is that she reacted as if she knew the vic. As if these touched too close to her…”</p><p>“Are you serious Natasha? She’s a fucking florist for God’s sake! How on earth could she possibly know about a serial killer?” For a moment he wasn’t James Buchanan Barnes, his blinding rage let out the Winter Soldier out of the cage</p><p>“Buck, just calm down. We were just weighing out the possibilities nothing else. We would never talk ill about her” Steve tried to reason with him, but he lost it. He grabbed him by the shirt until Tony intervened</p><p>“CALM DOWN STEVE? Would we be having this conversation if it was Margaret?” He hit a nerve. Just like silence engulfed them “I thought so…” everyone knew that he was right, this shouldn’t have been brought in the first place. But it was too late</p><p>“OK KIDS! Time’s up! Let go buddy. Let’s all take five to Cool off! As this has clearly gotten completely out of place” Tony silently stood watching the scene develop until it was time for him to adult them.</p><p>“If it helps anyone, I dejectedly and begrudgingly agree to look into  this in detail. Whether it is to discard your allegations or to find upsetting information” They nodded</p><p>“I found somet- …what did I miss?” Bruce appeared from the lab next door fully unaware of the drama that had transpired just a few minutes ago</p><p>“Always the last one to know Doctor” Nat smirked as everyone took off to work on their own leads</p><p>*** *** ***</p><p>They leave. Not long after the whole dinner fiasco, they found a lead taking them out of state. Tension could still be felt within the team, none giving the first step to apologize. A reluctant Bucky waved off a smiling Kayleigh as she tried to keep going on with her regular daily life at her flower shop.</p><p>But things were not right</p><p>She knew she was not alone, if the unsettling feeling at her backbone was any indication. </p><p>Unknown caller 00:00 hours</p><p>Anonymous mail in Russian received at work</p><p>Mysterious guy following her home</p><p>Every shadow, every unknown face, every unknown caller… everything tugged at her strings but she refused to let them win.  She felt her heart wanting to get out of her chest, at every suspicion she held his number on fast call, ‘ just press the number’ rang through her head but every time she stopped an inch away. ‘He’s a hero’, ‘He’s busy’, ‘He can’t know’… </p><p>She made it. He was back.</p><p>A warm welcome was in place for him. A clean apartment, a hot bath and his favorite foods waiting to be enjoyed. But good things can’t last that long, can they? She heard the shower turn off and she could already feel enveloped in the fresh smell of his male essence that was filling the space.</p><p>Her thoughts were cut short as someone knocked the door. A mail man drops her a small package from unknown sender. She furrowed her eyebrows not remembering ordering or expecting anything, yet she takes it inside, she places it on the counter. She turns it around a bit looking for any sign of a possible sender, finding none. She cautiously cuts it open taking out the unknown wrapped up item. She didn’t need to unwrap it to already feel the familiar metallic smell filling her nostrils, yet goosebumps traveled along her skin a she anxiously did so…</p><p>The gates of hell open</p><p>A bloodied chrysanthemum reveal itself from under the thin layers of paper. She immediately drops it to the floor. She gasps, followed by a voiceless scream as the air left her lungs. She uncontrollably shakes immediately understanding the undertone of it: A warning. She drops to her knees trying to clean up the mess, accidentally further smearing the blood on the floor. ‘Bucky can’t see this’, she repeated it over and over again on her mind, but it was too late</p><p>“Honey? It’s everything ok?” </p><p>Horror filled his eyes at the sight of the crimson stains and her kneeling stance. He hurried to her side holding her crying figure back and forth. His eyes focusing on the flower of death “What happened? Who sent this?” Powerlessness and protectiveness could be felt on his voice</p><p>“I- I don’t know” She stuttered, another lie.</p><p>He takes her to the tower afraid that someone is targeting her for being his girlfriend, after he had his own story with HYDRA, so what if they were the ones after this? They wouldn’t take her away from him, he wouldn’t let them. He took her to his room in the Tower, helped her shower and stayed with her until she calmed down and fell asleep. </p><p>“What happened?” Tony asked</p><p>“This” No words were needed as Bucky placed the bagged bloodied flower over the table </p><p>“Still not getting it” Steve said</p><p>“Someone anonymously delivered that bloody thing at our apartment. She was the one to open it and freaked out” Bucky restlessly paced back and forth rubbing his jaw “Now do you believe her?” They knew what he meant by that. There was just no way that she had sent herself that and flipping out the way she did. It couldn’t be faked, her fear was real, her panic was real</p><p>“I understand that you’re still mad about what we said earlier. But don’t you think it’s just too coincidental that on the same week she panics over our case that she receives that? We haven’t even made any connections to HYDRA or whatsoever to even consider the possibility of her being targeted because of you” Natasha said in an unwavering authoritative voice</p><p>“This is getting out of hand and I hate to be one to burst the bubble here. Barnes please come with me. Is not an option, it’s an order” Tony hated to pull up rank on him but this called up for measures accordingly to it.</p><p>“Please take a seat” Tony orders him while placing a file on the table</p><p>“What’s this?” He flips the pages </p><p>“Read it” He crossed his arms watching him do so</p><p>“You investigated her?” Indignation marked his voice</p><p>“This was for the best. Neither you or any of us for that matter, would have been at peace with each other while holding doubts about her. We must fully trust each other for this team to work. Otherwise it will all fall apart.”</p><p>“Still you had no right” He angrily stood up “Why is everyone so fixated on tarnishing her? What’s so wrong about her?” He asked him with a pain filled voice </p><p>“It’s not about that and you know it pal. I hate to break your heart but You saw it. Her real name was Kaylenna Vasiliev, the name of the father on the birth certificate is false. The mother was an American who mysteriously disappeared when she was 12, she entered the system and was finally adopted by the Shaw” </p><p>“So, what? She hid being adopted and having a Russian name, since when is that a crime?” He was growing edgier by the second</p><p>“It is not. But, Did you finish reading the file?” He shook his head no “Thought so, look again…the burn mark on her shoulder? She said that she got it in a fire at her first foster home, guess what? there was a fire indeed but nobody was there at the time. A mark that once again coincides with the same spot where HYDRA’s mysterious tattoo is placed” He rubbed his jaw</p><p> “There must be another explanation for it”</p><p>“I want to believe so but that’s not it. What’s there is making it extremely hard. Look at the picture Barnes… she was never in a study exchange in Switzerland. She went to visit a friend ‘Evelyn Amman’. Does the girl on the picture seems familiar to you?” Bucky’s eyes went wide in realization </p><p>“She was one of the victims…”</p><p>“Mila Lenkov, was her real name” Tony confirmed</p><p>“This can’t be right. If she knew her, why didn’t she-? she would have said so” He stuttered rubbing his face</p><p>“I think it’s time for you to ask her pal. If you don’t then I will”  He just nodded</p><p>*** *** ***</p><p>He couldn’t have such bad luck in life, could he? Was the woman he loved really involved on this? He trusted her, he could bet his life that she wouldn’t betray him. But the the accumulating contradicting information caused doubts to keep creeping through the cracks, Bucky hesitated about confronting her or not, but for once he choose to follow the path of protecting her.</p><p>There wasn’t enough time to consider it, a loud explosion interrupted all train of reasoning. All alarms were raised, a breach on security occurred, Steve and Natasha fought against the intruders as he ran towards her room but she wasn’t there. Yet he encountered them half way there, but nothing could have prepared him for what he saw. </p><p>She was fighting. </p><p>Not just defending herself but skillfully taking down her opponent. No weapons, but pure hand-to-hand almost artistic combat. The masked man uttered one word </p><p>“Morituro”<br/> It was enough to make her stop dead on her tracks. All color drained from her face as she plopped down on the floor and they retreated, there was no hiding now because everyone saw it…</p><p>He ran towards her “Are you ok?” He checked her all over looking for any injuries, there were none. “Are you gonna tell me now what the hell was all that? And PLEASE I beg you don’t lie to me” He said still in a daze, he met her watery eyes conveying a load of pent up emotions, regret, guilt, fear, sadness, love…</p><p>She sat down holding a glass of water, the entire team patiently waiting for what she had to say.</p><p>“I hate to be the one to break the ice but someone has to. Kayleigh you know that we’re family here. This is the time when you come clean so that we can help you” Nat said in a calm tone</p><p>“No one can help me…no one  can help me…” She said over and over again</p><p>“If this is about HYDRA, you should know better than everyone else that we’ve fought them before and we won” Steve said trying to reassure her. She looked over at Bucky, who seemed to be ignoring her</p><p>She humorlessly chuckled standing up and pacing through the room “You don’t get it… they take away everything that you care about. They rip away every little piece of goodness in you…” She mumbled</p><p>“TALK!” Bucky’s stern voice shook her to the core. He was never mad at her, no matter what he never yelled at her</p><p>“Please don’t hate me… I had no choice. We had no choice…” A flicker of pain shone through his eyes as she said that “You think you took down H.Y.D.R.A but you didn’t do such a thing. Did you really think that they wouldn’t have a back up plan? Take down the king and the heir will take over.”</p><p>“I thought I was the poetic one from the group” Tony chuckled “But go on, Who are they?”</p><p>“Morituro” Bucky said giving them the side eye “He said that…” She flinched at the word, they noticed </p><p>“You would have never find out about them unless they wanted you to find out… ‘the next one to die’, a secret sub-unit of HYDRA on charge of continuing experimentation on direct descendants of the first HYDRA super soldiers. Looking to replicate their first results but they went a step ahead.” Silence engulfed the room, she could sense the endless questions forming from them “No, I am not enhanced. None of us are-...were. The cursed ones like me won the genetic pool lottery with whatever they were looking for. They killed our parents, we were just kids, they…” She paused, swallowing the lump that had already formed on her throat </p><p>“they did things to us… they didn’t just want super soldiers, they were washing our will away replacing our souls with their twisted hatred and programming” Her voice breaking. She once again locked eyes with Bucky, his anger slowly fading away being replaced by deep sorrow, no one dared to stop her story. They were all taking in the details as best as they could “What they wanted us for we were never told. The only thing that held us back was the consequences. We knew the final task would mean death to us, in fact attempting to leave meant death. That’s why the marked us” She said pulling up her sleeve showing them the burn scar on her shoulder “I got rid of it the best as I could”</p><p>“How did you escape?” Natasha was the first one to break the ice, an unbreakable understanding crossed her eyes. Kayleigh’s story sounded too much like her own not to be believed, the honesty shining through her told the horrors she must have endured there</p><p>“We risked it all. The ones of us, that they couldn’t break our strong will, got together and used everything they thought us against them. We outsmarted them, made them believe they had the control when in reality they didn’t… we ran away. Evelyn, Mila, she was my best friend. I erased my mark but she didn’t. That’s why they got to her first, to all of them.”</p><p>“Why now though? If this has been going on for years why wait to kill them until now?” Steve asked</p><p>“Us...We did, didn’t we?” Bucky said after putting up the pieces together “We took HYDRA down, we unveiled their plans to the world and they had to act…” He knew how they worked, how soulless they were</p><p>“They didn’t want to leave any evidence left” Tony said</p><p>“We were liabilities to them. If they were to set up in motion their strategy then it meant to make sure it didn’t get out there… only we know.” Kayleigh said waiting for their reaction to what she finally revealed to them, her secret was out</p><p>“Why didn’t you say it before?” Bucky finally confronted her</p><p>“I- I don’t know…” </p><p>“YOU DON’T KNOW?” He dryly chuckled “Are you serious Kay? Is that how much you trusted us?”</p><p>“Is not that! It was never about trust! I couldn’t!” She yelled at him</p><p>“WHY? Why Kayleigh Anne? Or is it Kaylenna Vasiliev?” She gasped at the name, he knew it all. </p><p>“You don’t understand… Everything I ever did was to drive them away! I never asked to be part of this! Yet I Brought them here…They broke in because I was here..” Floodgates were open, the pain of their mistrust on her intentions, the heartbreak of his mistrust in her… it was too much. She broke like a glass thrown to the floor, the tiny little pieces of her heart being stomped on by his doubts, by his accusations. Everything she had worked so hard for was gone. “I was there for you James. Not once did I ever questioned your past yet here you are accusing me of being a betrayer…” She was crying to the top of her lungs now, but it was her next words the ones that stabbed his heart like a knife</p><p> “I should have never loved you” </p><p>And like that she left them speechless as she ran to her bedroom. Bucky stood still with his eyes wide open, his brain trying to process what just happened. ‘I should have never loved you’ She loved him like he loved her yet he let his own insecurities take over instead of trusting her, now he’s lost her.</p><p>“What have I done?” </p><p>*** *** ***</p><p>As soon as she walks into the room she slides down the wall. She cries her eyes out, her sobs muffled by the wind entering through the the broken window Then she saw it. A small yellow envelope dropped by the leg of the bed, what she found inside caught her breath. The first time it was a warning for her to get away from The Avengers, to go back to them, but now it was  a matter of minutes before they were back and she knew that this time around they wouldn’t fail. She wouldn’t let that happen. She quickly draws a note and leaves it on the bed before she abandons the tower without their knowledge.</p><p>*** *** ***</p><p>“What the hell was all that?” Clint had arrived when it was at a boiling point</p><p>“I think she just confirmed she is a victim and we all fucked up” Tony flippantly said motioning his hands</p><p>“Not to mention she just gave us information we had no idea about” Nat said with her arms crossed “God, I feel awful… I mean I never meant wrong but we just had to be sure after all…”</p><p>“Nobody is blaming you Nat. We all played our part on this. I don’t think that she hates us but she will definitely take her time to forgive us” Steve sighed</p><p>“She doesn’t hate you, she hates me” His head hung low “The one that was supposed to believe her but didn’t…”</p><p>Tony came to him and pat him on the back “Go talk to her. Banner texted me earlier, he’s got a lead… we’ll look into this” He nodded</p><p>*** ***</p><p>Bucky thinks back on all their dates, all their fights (if they could even be called fights), the details and care, their laughs, even their cries when they confessed their pasts to each other. She was always there, not once did she use that against him, she always had his back. He was a jerk, he turned his back on her when she needed him the most…</p><p>He knocked the door, she wasn’t there. The broken glass was still on the floor, he called her but no answer was heard. Photos, they were scattered all over the place. It was them, going into their apartment, buying groceries, at a party with Stark… They had followed them around, and  him, it wasn’t her but him. A big red circle with a cross over his face “We know who he is” scribbled on the back. That’s how they got her to leave. They threatened her with his life. A note was on the bed: “I’m sorry, always yours. K.S”</p><p>She was gone</p><p>This was not good. She left, someone was looking after her and now she was out there with no one to protect her. </p><p>“She’s gone!” He yelled at the others “She’s not here” He panicked</p><p>“Do you know where she could have gone to?” Steve asked</p><p>“Home”</p><p>*** *** ***</p><p>He didn’t have to say it twice. In matter of minutes they arrived at their shared apartment. The sight turned his stomach… he finds destruction. </p><p>“KAYLEIGH!” He yelled “DOLL! Please answer me!” His heart was beating wildly, the thousands of possibilities made his blood run cold. There was blood. Lots of it. “Oh God…they got her” Bucky felt his heart crushed, the amount of guilt weighed heavily on his shoulders, his girl, his beloved was taken and he wasn’t there for her. She turned herself in for him. Yet he broke her heart. He punched a hole through the wall</p><p>Even the strongest soldiers have a heart…</p><p>“We are going to find her buddy” Steve said in a comforting voice as he ruffled his hair and clenched his fists</p><p>*** *** ***</p><p>“Ok, so we got a lead! Banner’s already there and we got visual. We know they’re hiding at an old military base. Based on the intel we found, this where the victims are and this is where their experimental chambers are located” Tony pointed and showed them the Satellite images of the place</p><p>“Based on what she told us, their techniques are very similar to the ones they used on us on the red room. Keep in mind if these people had their will broken they might see us as treats and attack us” Natasha said</p><p>“That’s right so let’s keep that in mind, we have lives to save, these men and women are being held against their will. But it cannot be said the same for their captors. We owe it to Kayleigh to make this right” </p><p>“Always the motivational speaker of the team, aren’t you Cap?” Clint chimed</p><p>“Enough of chit chat kids! Let’s bring our girl home!” Tony said turning the jet on “JARVIS, take over!”</p><p>“Right away Sir!”</p><p>“I’m going for you doll, wait for me” </p><p>*** *** ***</p><p>The room was dark and cold, she slowly woke up with a headache a bright light straight to her face, she was shivering while chained to the metal table in only her underwear. A figure walked out from the shadows</p><p>“Well well well… look who do we have here! Isn’t it our “воин” (warrior) Kaylenna?!” The man in scrubs said</p><p>“Mikhail…Ублюдок (bastard)” She spat back</p><p>“Tsk tsk tsk Lenna…You knew this day would come sooner rather than later. You just made it harder on yourself”</p><p>“Why did you have to kill them? Why couldn’t you let them be?” She angrily yelled at him</p><p>“What good would it be if the world knew of our plan ahead of time? They had to go before they opened their mouths…” He flippantly said</p><p>“See, that’s where you’re wrong. We never knew anything. Your fucking sentinels always stuck to their silent code. They simply dedicated themselves to torture us and train us without an objective on mind” She didn’t miss the slight surprise on his eyes, realization dawned on her “oh my god! You didn’t know, did you? All this time and you thought that we had something to babble about?!”</p><p>“Молчи! (Shut Up!) If you don’t want to end like your dear friend Mila, oh Mila, Mila, Mila… she was such a fighter! She struggled like a tigress right until the end…” He enjoyed her pain, a treacherous tear streamed down her face “Don’t worry Lenna, I’ll make sure that you learn your lesson and don’t get the same fate as she did. After all, didn’t you erased our mark?” He chuckled</p><p>She screamed at the top of her lungs as he held the power on, waves of electro shocks running through her body, her pain filled sobs echoed on the halls.</p><p>*** *** ***</p><p>“You know what you do!” Steve said taking care of the guards first, “Clint! Watch our backs!”</p><p>“Got it Cap!” Clint said from his watchtower spot</p><p>“Hulk, SMASH!” He smirked following his orders without hesitation </p><p>“Defenses are down! You are free to go!” Tony said through the comms still blazing down the bad guys</p><p>“I know that you’re on edge Barnes but don’t do anything stupid” Natasha said as they walked through the dark halls. Just as they did an ear piercing scream was heard</p><p>“It was her! I know!” Bucky whispered yelled </p><p>“Guy, we have a situation here! Southeast hall to the left, we might have found her” She said on the comms.</p><p>“On my way! Don’t start the party without me!” Tony said</p><p>They heard it again, this time around anger, frustration and hatred was ingrained on it. They rushed as fast as they could leaving the few guards down. They pushed through through the metal door.</p><p>She stood up covered in blood, next to a body</p><p>“Kay? Doll?” Bucky called her, as she locked eyes with his, dropping the scalpel and running straight into his open arms. </p><p>“You came for me!… you came!” She sang clutching into his neck as if holding for dear life, they dropped to their knees hugging each other tight. Natasha doubled checked the room and signed to him he was dead</p><p>“Of course! I would never leave my best girl behind!” He let out a relieved laugh, briefly separating only to check for any injuries “Are you ok? Are you hurt?” She nodded no, he softly caressed her cheeks with his thumbs, before kissing her pouring all of his love and longing into it, until they had to break for air.</p><p>“Let’s go we have to get out of here”</p><p>“No, no… we can’t…” She stuttered “He-they..” She sighed</p><p>“Hey, you’re not making any sense babe. Take a breath” She followed his instructions and recovered her breath</p><p>“They put a bomb here! Before I took him down he said that they were alerted that you were coming. They set up a timer, it’ll blow up any moment now!” She finally said</p><p>“Stark did you hear that?”</p><p>“Copy that Widow! I see it! It’s right below you. We don’t have time to deactivate it. Get out of there NOW!”</p><p>“We can’t! They still have other here! Did you get them out?”</p><p>“Don’t worry, Steve, Clint and Banner were on it. Now, let’s go before we’re blown up to pieces. Can you walk?” She gave him a weak smile nodding no.</p><p>“Adrenaline is wearing off, he- he -used… shocks…”</p><p>“Barnes look…” Nat pointed towards the metal table and the items around it “I think that they electroshock her.” He said picking her up bridal style and running back the way they came. Just as they out, it went off! As the last second, Hulk jumped in and  used his body to protect them from the blast.</p><p>“You ok?” Bucky asked her as they stood up again. </p><p>“Yeah, I think so…” He lovingly brushed her loose hair behind her ears. Her smile faded and her eyes watered once again as she looked something behind his back</p><p>“What is it doll?” He asked her turning around to watch as she limped-run towards one of the rescued victims </p><p>“Dad? Is it really you?” </p><p>“Kaylenna? Oh my God! I thought that they…” He didn’t need to finish the sentence, she knew what he meant</p><p>“Daddy! I missed you so much!” They cried in each other’s embrace, like a dream come true and the light at the end of the tunnel</p><p>“I missed you too, принцесса (princess). You have no idea how much, it’s been so hard to be apart from you. I love you so so much!” </p><p>“I love you too daddy!” She sobbed onto his shoulder</p><p>“There’s no hug for your брат (brother)?”  A voice said behind them</p><p>“Alex? Oh my… You made it!” She hugged him as well</p><p>“You know I’m not that easy to kill. I promised pappa here that I’d look after you till my last breath.” They laughed, for the first time in a very very long time they truly laughed watching the gates of hell turning to the ashes. </p><p>“I didn’t know we would get to see a family reunion here” Steve said “But I’m glad that we did” He smiled giving Bucky a manly side hug. As the others looked after the survivors. Sirens could be heard coming, the local police had arrived fully cooperating with The Avengers</p><p>“Me too pal, me too…”</p><p>He saw her slowly walking towards him, followed close behind by her father and brother.</p><p>“Alex, Dad… this is James. James, my brother and father.” She blushed “He’s the one who saved us, he and his friends over there”</p><p>“A pleasure to meet you Sir” Bucky nervously shook hands with him</p><p>“Pleasure is mine. During our time there your name was like an urban legend, we had to see it to believe it, well, now we lived it…” He chuckled, side hugging him “I know that look son, take care of my little girl” He lowly said into his ear, making him gulp</p><p>“Why don’t you go get checked first? I’ll be right behind you. I have to talk with him” She told them, as they knowingly shared a complicit look walking away</p><p>“Are you sure that you don’t need to be checked right away?”</p><p>“I’m sure… if it didn’t kill me before it’s not gonna do it now…” She said with her head hung low “ Look, Buck… I’m sorry” He looked at her in confusion not sure exactly what she was apologizing for “For lying to you I mean, I never meant for it to get this far. It was selfish of me but-“ She didn’t get the chance to finish as his lips collided with hers, a breathtaking, earth shattering kiss “Wow…”</p><p>“Wow…” He repeated, resting his forehead on hers “Technically you didn’t lie, lie, you  only omitted very important information that could have avoided us all to almost have a heart attack in fear of losing you…” She was stunned to say the least “I know, me saying these things… I can’t stop myself. Kayleigh… I now understand how you could handle me so well from the beginning, you’ve been through a lot. I can’t imagine how hard it must have been for you to deal with it all on your own…” She tried to say something but he didn’t let her, lovingly putting his finger over her lips “What you said before leaving… it made me realize how much you mean to me. I’ll never forgive myself for ever allowing even the smallest doubt to had found a place inside my head… I LOVE YOU Kayleigh Anne Shaw… Will you ever forgive me for failing you?”</p><p>She kissed his finger, taking his cheeks into her soft hands “I already did, the moment that you walked through that door” It was now her turn to peck him on his lips </p><p>“Yeah?” He mischievously smiled watching at the distance their friends’ coy smiles of their own, witnessing his happy ending “He kissed her as if there was no tomorrow…</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Thank you for reading! Feel free to follow me on Tumblr at https://www.tumblr.com/blog/angrybirdcr</p></blockquote></div></div>
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